By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Running cattle on Harding County grasslands has been a part of the Painter family legacy since 1895, when Lewis Levi Painter rode the open range as a horse wrangler for the CY Cattle Company of Texas. “He ran a few cows with the main herd and squatted on … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern Healthcare coverage is a lingering concern for most beginning farmers. Farm work is by no means safe work. Physical demands, heavy machinery, sharp tools, and other unexpected dangers are inevitable risks on operations of all sizes. Those without health care coverage are nagged by the thought of how much a mistake could cost, both … Read More
By Hannah Packman, NFU Communications Coordinator Access to affordable and effective health care is a fundamental concern for many Americans. However, farmers, ranchers, and rural communities face several unique obstacles to acquiring and paying for coverage. Rural communities experience higher rates of poverty, unemployment, chronic and mental health issues, and risky behaviors than their urban … Read More
By Hannah Packman, NFU Communications Coordinator Last month on the Climate Column, we introduced the idea of prescribed grazing, a conservation practice in which the frequency and intensity of grazing, as well as the density and placement of livestock, are regulated with a specific goal in mind. Prescribed grazing can be carried out in a … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union The Symens family raises crops, purebred Limousin cattle and a feedlot near Amherst, South Dakota. “It’s a garden spot … if we get rain,” says Paul Symens, 72, when describing the land his grandpa, Harm Symens, purchased in 1910. For more than a century, the Symens family has cared … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union The Symens family raises crops, purebred Limousin cattle and a feedlot near Amherst, South Dakota. “It’s a garden spot … if we get rain,” says Paul Symens, 72, when describing the land his grandpa, Harm Symens, purchased in 1910. For more than a century, the Symens family has cared … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 4, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives today voted to approve the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a bill that would cause millions of Americans to lose their health insurance, lessen protections for those with preexisting conditions, and adversely affect family farmers and rural … Read More
By Erin Cuseo, Owner & Operator of Erin’s Acres Farm As a first generation vegetable farmer in Colorado, one of the main challenges I face is accessing land. With increasingly high prices and a lack of available agricultural land, finding a long-term solution may take a farmer like myself many years. Not every property will suit … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 4, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives today voted to approve the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a bill that would cause millions of Americans to lose their health insurance, lessen protections for those with preexisting conditions, and adversely affect family farmers and rural … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – As U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan attempts to secure votes in support of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), National Farmers Union (NFU) is reiterating its opposition to the bill. The legislation has worsened since being introduced in late March, … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – As U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan attempts to secure votes in support of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), National Farmers Union (NFU) is reiterating its opposition to the bill. The legislation has worsened since being introduced in late March, … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern For a beginning farmer, who may not have the means to purchase their own land, leasing is often the most viable route to starting an operation. Typically, a lease doesn’t require a hefty downpayment or burdensome loan, and the financial risk is shared between the landowner and the tenant. However, farm … Read More
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Over the past several months, the Climate Column has featured many conservation practices, like installing filter strips or planting cover crops, that help mitigate climate change and build an operation’s climate resilience. For many producers, it may not be immediately clear which practices would be most beneficial for their … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Continuing a long tradition of advocating for competitive marketplaces for family farmers and ranchers, National Farmers Union (NFU) today urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to oppose the proposed China National Chemical Corp’s (ChemChina) acquisition of Syngenta AG. In public comments to … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Continuing a long tradition of advocating for competitive marketplaces for family farmers and ranchers, National Farmers Union (NFU) today urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to oppose the proposed China National Chemical Corp’s (ChemChina) acquisition of Syngenta AG. In public comments to … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union As its mother protectively stands guard, her newborn calf, supported precariously by its wobbly legs, looks curiously at its surroundings and then begins nursing. For four generations, this heart-warming scene has signaled spring on the Wonnenberg Ranch near Dallas, Texas. And even though it’s been a part of … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union As its mother protectively stands guard, her newborn calf, supported precariously by its wobbly legs, looks curiously at its surroundings and then begins nursing. For four generations, this heart-warming scene has signaled spring on the Wonnenberg Ranch near Dallas, Texas. And even though it’s been a part of … Read More
By Stephanie Syson, Lead Grower & Owner of Biodynamic Botanicals The United States is a large consumer of medicinal herbs, mainly in the form of value-added products such as dietary supplements, teas, personal care products, cosmetics, and other nutraceuticals. However, many of the herbs used to make these products are imported from foreign markets. In … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern Although you might not know it, cooperatives are woven throughout every industry in the United States, including housing, banking, agriculture, food retail, and healthcare, providing people with basic goods and services through collectively owned and democratically organized businesses and organizations. Opportunities for cooperatives exist when a group of people or organizations share a … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today confirmed former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson released the following statement in response to the announcement: “Having endured months of the current farm crisis and drastic … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today confirmed former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson released the following statement in response to the announcement: “Having endured months of the current farm crisis and drastic … Read More
By Beth Mason, NACD North Central Region Representative In 2014, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) began a three-year project to increase the adoption of soil health practices across the United States. The project consists of two initiatives – one focused on quantifying the monetary benefits of using soil health practices, and the other on … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 22, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Marching in cities across the United States, members of National Farmers Union (NFU) joined the world’s first-ever March for Science today, emphasizing the vital role that science should play in everyday life and in federal policymaking. NFU President Roger Johnson, a third-generation … Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 22, 2017 Contact: Andrew Jerome, 202-314-3106 [email protected] WASHINGTON – Marching in cities across the United States, members of National Farmers Union (NFU) joined the world’s first-ever March for Science today, emphasizing the vital role that science should play in everyday life and in federal policymaking. NFU President Roger Johnson, a third-generation … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Thumbing through a recent Wienk Charolais sale catalogue, Arnold Wienk, 78, recalls what it was like in the early years. “When I first sold bulls, the only number we gave buyers was the birthdate.” The glossy flyer is filled with photos of breeding stock and several columns of … Read More